


Small comforts

by elletromil



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Telepathic Bond, Telepathy, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-08
Updated: 2014-11-08
Packaged: 2018-02-24 13:46:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2583545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elletromil/pseuds/elletromil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So when they find themselves in a lift crowded with other crewmembers (more often then not), when they hurriedly pass each other down a corridor (it’s impossible not being busy on a starship), when they’re on the transporter pad returning from an away mission that went wrong (there are more of those than they wish for)... In those moments, they reach out subtly, their hands finding each other in the exchange of a brief caress.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Small comforts

**Author's Note:**

  * For [klmeri](https://archiveofourown.org/users/klmeri/gifts).



> So last week on tumblr, klmeri felt there was a lack of mcspirk and ask for some of our headcanons. I answered, got carried away and decided that as it looked like a badly written mini-fic, that I should at least turn in it into a more well written mini-fic.
> 
> This is my first time writing Mcspirk, so I hope I did not do a bad job out of it.
> 
> klmeri, this is for you, in thanks for all things mcsprik I see regularly on my dash thanks to you! Hope you like it :)

The first time Spock explains to them what’s the equivalent of a kiss on Vulcan, Jim and Leonard are both a bit nonplussed. Kissing with their hands? It all seems so... impersonal. Nonetheless, they are not ones to begrudge their lover an important part of what makes a relationship healthy to him, so they find themselves indulging him. They are soon reminded that Vulcans are _touch-telepaths_ , a fact they always seem to forget to get into consideration. Where the bond they share allow them to sense each other presence at all time, kissing Spock the Vulcan way is like being envelop in a small bubble of love, affection and contentment, as if being engulf in a warm embrace of _Spock_. They both agree it’s the most intimate gesture they have ever partaken in, short of a meld.

However, even though they are now bonded, that doesn’t change the fact that both Humans are completely psi-null. By all accounts, Vulcan kisses should hold no comfort for them without Spock’s telepathy, but before long, they discover it is not exactly true.

Neither Leonard nor Jim remember exactly when they started using it when it was just the two of them and they don’t lose sleep over it either. Jim’s not one for introspection and Leonard has always been one to simply accept the things that feel right as being just that, _right_.

So when they find themselves in a lift crowded with other crewmembers (more often then not), when they hurriedly pass each other down a corridor (it’s impossible not being busy on a starship), when they’re on the transporter pad returning from an away mission that went wrong (there are more of those than they wish for)... In those moments, they reach out subtly, their hands finding each other in the exchange of a brief caress.

They can’t feel the undercurrent of the other emotions, but that way, they can convey the important. _Hello, have a good shift, I’m thinking of you, I’ll see you later, I’m fine, yes, yes we’re both alive._

It’s true they wouldn’t really even need that much to _know_ , but it’s a small contact they find themselves unwilling to give up. 

*

It's been four days since Spock was brought to the infirmary unconscious, a wound in his chest so deep, along with so much other injuries he doesn't care to remember, that Leonard had thought for sure that he would have to announce time of death as soon as he touched him. But he had been alive and after hours and hours of medical interventions, Spock had been out of the woods.

Spock had then been transferred to an individual room, where Jim had joined him as soon as the crisis had been taken care of as well as his other responsibilities. He had gone back on the bridge for one shift afterwards, but their relationship being the big open-secret of the ship, he'd practically been ordered back to the infirmary by the crew.

The fact that Jim had not even made one joke about mutiny tells a lot about how much he is worrying. Not that Leonard is any better, the only reason he has left Spock's side is because Jim managed to wring a promise out of him about going back to their quarters so he can take a shower and change uniforms as long as he waits with their bondmate. So far, even when they were merely friends, they've managed to never let any of them wake up alone in sickbay and they don't plan on changing that any time soon.

They know that Spock hasn't woken up only because he is in his healing trance, which is a good sign of his well-being, but seeing him lying so motionless on the infirmary bed is never easy. Jim doesn't even dare brush against Spock's hand when he's in his trance in fear of disturbing him somehow and neither does Leonard, except to readjust some of the instruments. Not that they truly need any readjustments, but he has never been good with inaction, never like feeling useless in helping those he loves. He’s a doctor goddamnit; he should be able to do something, anything. Watching Jim nearly as immobile as Spock doesn’t help. Usually, Jim’s the one with the plan, the one who never admits defeat, who does everything he possibly can and then some. Of course he can be focused, but he’s never really _still_. Except, now he is sick with worries, worries he knows unfounded, but that won’t be calmed before Spock actually wakes up; worries that even Bones can’t completely dispel because he shares them.

Were they not in sickbay, Leonard is under no illusions his Captain would be all over him, the kid worst than a damn octopus. Not that he would be unwelcomed, but unfortunately, however much privacy the single room offers, it's still not their quarters and they are still technically on shift. Emergencies have this way of occurring always at the worst moment around here, something the doctor has no desires proving true once again.

So they mostly stay sat side by side on the uncomfortable chairs that have never been design to be sat upon for a long period of time, never mind days, trying to reassure one another by the slow brushing of their fingers against one another.

They don’t need telepathy to know precisely what they are not saying.

 _He's going to be fine — Yes he is — You're going to be fine? — As soon as he wakes up and makes me forget I had my hands green from his blood... Are_ you _going to be fine? — As soon as he makes me forget I had to have him brought to sickbay not knowing whether he was alive or dead..._

They must have been dozing off, Bones fingertips lazily mapping Jim’s palm, because the next thing they are aware of is Spock’s broken whisper.

“You are aware that being completely psi-null, your actions cannot bring you any sense of each other?”

“Spock! You’re awake!” They are already both on their feet, Jim to fetch a glass of water and Leonard to examine him, to make sure that he truly missed nothing. After helping the Vulcan drink the water, Jim stands on the side, letting the doctor do his work.

He should not have worried, if Spock attitude is anything to go by. Oh, he lets him do everything without complain, answer each and every questions, but Bones knows when he is being humored and right now? He definitely is. Any other time, it would anger him, but now... Now...

“Gods, Spock, don’t ever do this again,” and, damn his professionalism to hell, he hugs his lover. Jim doesn’t waste a minute and embrace them both, sighing at the contact.

“What he said, Spock.”

“Captain— Jim, you know it is not something—” he doesn’t get to finish his sentence before Bones interrupts him.

“Yeah, yeah, we know. Just shut up.”

He does, relaxing within his two bondmates’ embrace. He can feel the turmoil inside them, twisting under their skin, calm down as they “suck up” on his higher body heat, as Jim put it once. Slowly, almost shyly, although he doesn’t understand his own hesitation, he seeks out their hands. They welcome the touch with obvious happiness and contentment and he his soon engulf in a totally different kind of embrace, their shared love so deep he could drown if physical contact with them was not keeping him afloat.

“Oh...” the uncharacteristic exclamation breaks the peaceful moment better than any red alert ever could.

“What, what is it? Is something wrong, do you—” his lovers are already moving back, but Spock finds himself reluctant in letting them go and just grips their hands.

“I am well. I have merely made a realization in regards of the Human need of physical contact.” He offers nothing more and they don’t ask, even though he can feel their curiosity across the bond. However, they are clearly more interested in said physical contact than Spock’s newfound understanding.

It is something he had always wondered about, how a species could depend so much on physical contact when they couldn’t gain anything from it. He understood the need in pursuit of sexual pleasure, yet couldn’t comprehend it in any other situation. Except, now he thinks he does.

Humans may not feel as strongly as Vulcans, but they don’t exert any control over their feelings either, they only _feel_ them. The ocean of emotions would indeed be a scary place to live days after days if not for the reassurance of others being _there_. It is precisely because they are psi-null that they go out of their way to make their presence known, that they do everything to convey their message.

Bones is the first to compose himself, as is often the case, and breaks the embrace. “All right, some of us actually do need to work. Commander, you’re discharge to your quarters as long as you confine yourself to bed rest. Captain, I trust you to make sure my orders are followed?”

“Will do Bones,” and just like that, he’s out of the room. Leonard is already busying himself with collecting the various instruments and any other day Spock would let him be for the time being, but even if reassurances have been given, apologies have yet to be.

He goes to his bondmate and puts a hand on his shoulder. That unexpected gesture alone is enough to make the Doctor stop what he is doing. It’s not that Spock doesn’t touch them; it’s just that he usually keeps it for when they are in private and that when he does, it is always skin on skin. But in light of his latest epiphany on Human nature, Spock is willing to make some alterations in his standard behavior. It may not be the Vulcan way, but there’s nothing he is not prepared to do for his mates and allowing more touching won’t be any hardship if he’s honest with himself, which he tries to be most of the time.

“I am sorry for any unneeded distress I may have caused you.”

Leonard’s face close off at once but he doesn’t withdraw. “Just tell me he would have been worst.”

Spock doesn’t insult Leonard’s intelligence by pretending he doesn’t understand what he truly is asking. They are aware that all three of them have some self-sacrificing tendencies, especially when it comes to each other, but Spock kind of takes it to a whole new level. Where Jim actions are prompt by his so-called ‘gut feelings’ and Leonard’s by the fact he is a doctor through and through, Spock’s are the result of reasoning and estimation of the diverse odds of every possibilities. So where they react before really thinking it through, Spock usually knows the outcome before he does anything. And it may have happen in the past that he chose a course of action that left him far worse than any of the other would have been, even if they would still have been injured. But the last incident had not been the case.

“In this situation, the odds of the captain surviving a direct hit were less than satisfactory.”

Leonard cringes slightly but still has to ask, “And yours?”

“The risks were most diminished by my different physiology.” He makes an uncharacteristic pause, long enough for the Doctor to wonder if he’ll like what will come next or if that’ll only makes him want to strangle the Vulcan on the spot. “And I had the upmost faith in your medical abilities.”

Leonard makes his best impersonation of a fish right then, opening and closing his mouth for some good seconds, speechless. Coming from Spock, it is one hell of a compliment he’s just been offered. He’s all the more staggered by the used of the word ‘faith’. Not ‘trust’ which would have been a bit more typical from Spock, because trust usually has some tangible basis contrary to faith.

There is nothing he can answer to that, so instead of saying anything, he just rests his head against his lover’s shoulder, finally feeling the world regain its stability with Spock’s solid form against him. Yet, however much he wishes he could join them to their quarters, he still has some work to do before he can leave, so he leans back and makes a shooing motion.

“Now scram, if you don't want me to change my mind and keep you under observation tonight.” It’s an empty threat and they both know it. “I’ll be along soon with dinner. Don’t let Jim convince you to anything more than some intensive cuddles.”

“Hey! Starships’ captains do not ‘cuddle’!” protest Jim as he comes back into the room, probably after getting bored of waiting for Spock to follow him.

“Maybe they don’t, but you certainly do.” He can see Jim opening his mouth to start arguing, and maybe another day he would have humored him, but today he just wants to get his job done in order to get back to their quarters quickly, so he have no qualm resorting to threats to shut him up. “I seem to remember someone who’s behind his shots.”

“Come on Spock, you need to rest, doctor’s order.” And he’s probably never fled faster in his life, even though knowing him, Jim would probably say it was not so much fleeing as making a strategic retreat.

~

They have not exchanged a word while making their way back to their quarter but as soon as the door closes behind them Jim stops him from getting farther into the room.

“’Less than satisfactory’ huh?”

Spock is not surprise that Jim overheard the conversation as he had not even taken any care in hiding what they were discussing back in the infirmary. “Indeed.” He does not bother explaining any further and Jim only sighs.

“Thank you,” he mutters finally and really, there is nothing else he can say. He won’t get angry at Spock for something he would have done himself had he been in the same situation. Even though seeing his lover hurt scared him to death, he’s grateful for Spock’s heroics if it means things turn out just fine for the three of them. He may prefer being the one getting hurt, deals with it better than the alternative, but there’s a difference with dealing with your lover being injured and your lover being dead. “You’re still going to have to make it up to Bones though.”

“That was already my intention.” Spock looks so insulted that he implied otherwise that he cannot help a small chuckle.

“Of course it was.” There was a lot people could say about Spock, but he sure knew how to take care of his bondmates as surprising as it could seem. “And now to the bed, I don’t want Bones to yell at us for disobeying him.”

~

It is much later, after Leonard has returned to their quarters with the promised food, after they have exceptionally eaten their meal in bed, after they have settled for the night in a pile of limbs.

Jim and Leonard have long been asleep and Spock really should be following suit as he had yet to recuperate completely from his injuries. However, he finds he has no desire to do so, not when his lovers’ hands are intertwined together just above his hip. He still wonders how he has never realized until now that the gesture that had been once so alien to them has become one of familiarity and comfort.

How he never realized up until now that when they are both in contact with another, he can more easily pick up the undercurrent of love that binds them all together without even having to concentrate.

He wants to stay awake as long as possible, to bask in the feelings, to commit these precious moments to memory.

After a while, once he starts to drift towards sleep, before he loses himself to dreams, Spock puts his hand on top of theirs hoping they won’t move around much during the night so that they can wake up as he has fallen asleep.

Surrounded by love.

**Author's Note:**

> Please note that English is not my first language and that I don't have a beta. However much I try to make it as perfect as possible, I am merely human. If you spot any mistake, please tell me about it so I can correct them.


End file.
